Who Writes This Stuff?

I keep reading these posts about the things that your Real Estate Agent won't tell you.  There seems to be a trend of articles devoted to the cause and I'd like to know, Which Agent? Which agent is not giving you the truth? The right information? Honesty?  Because I'll tell you (the truth that is) - I don't hold back and frankly my reputation and career is based on honesty and transparency with my clients - not lying and misinformation.  Here's some of the popular items on the list that's been going around:

1. Open Houses - the articles suggest that there is no benefit from an Open House to the owner and that it's merely a way for the Agent to secure new clients.  Well first off, new business is great. Not going to lie.  It is in fact a great way to meet new potential clients but we don't do these based on that.  More often than not Open Houses are filled with potential Buyers who already have agents and thus, we spend our time - the whole weekend in fact, schmoozing Buyers who are not using our services but the services of their own Realtor.  Isn't the goal to sell?  We are also introducing your house to the neighborhood and more often than not, it's a neighbor who has a cousin who is looking in the area and this would be perfect.  It's called advertising.  The more exposed your home is, the better chance of it being sold quickly and for your asking price, if priced correctly. Isn't that the goal?  My weekends are not spent inside homes merely to prospect - I am there to sell - and sell YOUR home.  Send in a friend undercover if you don't believe me.  I'm okay with that!
2. Real Estate Fee's.  Yes they are negotiable.  We do talk about this and we will negotiate but honestly, if I don't have to put money on the table, I am not going to.  Do you? Would you arbitrarily offer to reduce or put money on the table in your own business if it wasn't asked, suggested or required? I'll tell you another secret - while I will offer up portions of my fee (absolutely!) the Buyer fee is usually not negotiable.  Agents are offering 1% - but what they are not telling you is that they are charging 1% but you are also still paying 2.5% for the Buyers end.  So 1 = 3.5%.  The dirty truth of it is that most agents won't show a property if the commission is less than 2.5% (sometimes 2%) on the Buyers side.  It seems greedy but in all honesty, Real Estate is the only business where we must pay to work.  A Realtor in Ontario realistically pays over $10 000.00 in fee's, insurance, associations and desk costs - all of which are mandatory in order to keep their license - whether or not they make a sale that year.  In addition - all related costs - marketing, gas, car, tools of the trade, cell phone etc are the sole responsibility of the agent as well.  It costs alot of money for the privilege of having our career.  And I do treat it as a privilege.  But please remember - the entire cost of marketing your home - from website, social media, advertising, feature sheets, all of the calls, emails, texts and follow ups - are solely the financial responsibility of the agent.  We do not get reimbursed.  We pay all expenses out of pocket.
3. There are Offers You Don't Know About. No. There are not.  We, in Ontario, are legally obligated (if not ethically) to report every single offer on the table.  It's not our property - it's yours.  Being sued for not relaying information is not how any agent wishes to spend their time.  I tell every owner about every potential offer.  It's not my decision.  Even if it's the lowest of the low - absurd - I will always tell my Owners.  This statement is just ridiculous.
4. You Don't Need a Real Estate Agent - You Can Do It On Your Own.  Yep - that's true.  You can. It may save you money and you may very well get it done and done well.  Is this how you want to spend your time? If it is, than great.  Anyone who feels they can FSBO (for sale by owner) their own property, I say, Power To Them.  Really.  I do know that as an Agent, I have access to so many things that you, as a lay person do not.  That being MLS, my website, my social media connections, all of the Agents in my office and in every single office of every agency in the province.  I have the knowledge and skill to price your home - using the same models and information as the Appraisers from the Banks and I have the knowledge and skill to go through your home and show you how it will best show.  It's my job to field all calls, appointments, inquiries and information regarding your property and it's on me if something goes wrong - which is why both my Broker and I carry huge insurance policies.  I don't know of many Agents who show FSBO properties to their clients and so based on that alone, you are missing out on a HUGE pool of Buyers.  Buyers who don't want to deal with a private deal and wish to leave the contracts and legalities up to their agents & lawyers.  Buyers who know that their Agent will garner all necessary information regarding zoning, easements, neighborhoods, history and the multitude of other seemingly unimportant pieces of information regarding a purchase that makes a Buyers time less stressful than it already is.  I am not suggesting FSBO homes don't sell - they do, absolutely, but for a huge stream of Buyers - they have no interest in the process and stick to properties with less stress.

I'm not saying that all agents are awesome, honest, driven or have your back - I just know that I am and I do and many of my colleagues do as well.   In all honesty, I went into real estate because of some shady agents we had used in the past and I vowed I would never disrespect any client the way I felt I had been.  That's the truth.

I honestly love people.  I understand people and mostly, I respect other people's money.  Looking for a property in the $500 000 range? I'm not going to show you  $600 000 homes, I am going to respect your budget.  Just divorced? I'm not telling anyone - it's your business and I'm going to help you find a property that will suit your new normal.  Just starting a family and looking for the move out of the core into the Burbs? I'll help you consider the long term plan - schools, neighborhood, transit and all of your other needs that you hadn't really thought about yet. My career, my goal is to ensure all my clients feel comfortable, welcome, valued and heard.  What's important to you becomes important to me - whether it's finding a yard for your dog, being near a mosque, church or house of worship.  No matter what your persuasion, orientation or inclinations - my job is about conversations.  I am your agent, it is not my place to judge anything.  My job is about Information. Honesty. Integrity and Listening.  

I'm always here, so if you're in the GTA & looking to Buy or Sell - give me a call.  I'd love to help.  It's why I do what I do.

As always, questions, comments or if you are just plain curious about the value of your home,

Email:   nicole@gtalisted.com,

Website at:: www.gtalisted.com,

Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/suttonwestrealty

Twitter: GTAListed 

Text me at: 416-388-7384

Nicole Kreutzberg

Realtor

This blog is not intended to solicit those under agency agreement and has been written as the agents own opinion not to be used as legal advice or otherwise

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And the Forecast Is....

What's the forecast?

A fresh start to the year may be just what the softening Toronto housing market needed.

Mid-month figures for January put homes sales in Canada’s biggest city up 2.5% and prices up 4% compared with the same period in January 2012, the Toronto Real Estate Board said Wednesday.

Those figures appear to buck the softening trend the Toronto housing market has seen over the past year. Just a day ago, Canadian Real Estate Association numbers showed sales in the city sank 21.8% in December from a year ago, while prices climbed 6.0%.

While it may be too early to say if home sales in Toronto are poised to make a solid recovery, the figures are providing market watchers with a dose of cautious optimism.

“It will be important to watch sales trends closely as we move through the first quarter to see if some of the households who moved to the sidelines as a result of stricter lending guidelines are starting to renew their decision to purchase a home,” said Ann Hannah, president of the Toronto Real Estate Board in a statement.

Toronto’s housing market in the first half of January was buoyed by a strong performance in the semi-detached sector, where sales soared 12.2% and prices were up 11.5% compared with a year earlier. Meanwhile, condo sales continued to under perform, declining 4.4% in the first 14 days of the month, with prices down 3.3%.  (David George-Cosh) 

Ever since my first Stats class wayyyy back in University, it's been ingrained in me to look, question and consider all numbers and their source.  Who paid for the study?  What variables did they use to come up with these numbers?  In this case, what constitutes a sale?

It certainly appears that the Toronto Housing market is not softening and that we'll be okay, based on this article, but looking closer, two things strike me.  First, the figures are based on Semi Detached homes, semi detached homes generally indicate first time home Buyers.  Okay.  So those figures are strong, great.  But what does that mean for the Detached Sellers?  The article doesn't mention the fact that along with the new mortgage rules that came into effect in July 2012, the Banks and Mortgage companies had until December to fully comply thus, Buyers were still able to qualify and today, not so much.  If you live in a detached, where's those buyers?  

Second, what constitutes a sale?  Sounds simple enough but really, what constitutes a sale?  Are these offers being made and accepted in the beginning of January? Or, are these offers that were made and accepted in October and the properties are now closing in January, because really, who wants to move in December?  So while sales soared, did they really?

Figures aside, the new reality is this.  The GTA Real Estate Market is moving back to basics.  Over used terms like 'bidding war' have had their run and the focus will now be on realistically pricing homes without that line up of Buyers who are willing to bid high on uninspected for homes worth far less than the final sold figures.  Sounds like a sad day for Sellers doesn't it?  Not so.

While yes it would be great to sell high, have a line up of Agents and Buyers willing to pay big big money for that tiny little house you call home but the reality is, you'd be buying high as well.  Over pricing doesn't just trickle, it floods.  Sell High, Buy High.  If you are buying high, can you afford the new furnace or the cost of having to replace all the electrical when something goes awry after you've closed on a property you failed to inspect because the line up out the door to buy was long?  

Let's face it, not many win in an over priced market and now, it's back to reality.  Priced right a home will always sell.  Today's market is no different.  It means your Realtor will have to put in some work.  Marketing, open houses, flyers, phone calls and develop a more solid relationship with you, their client.  It also means that the people who come through the door to look at your home will be qualified and able to purchase.  

It's a good day for real estate as far as I am concerned because let's face it, I too am a homeowner and what happens in the market not only affects my career, but my property as well.

If you have any questions, big or small, please don't hesitate to email me at any time.  It's better to have an answer than to guess!

Take care,

Nicole Kreutzberg, Realtor.  Email to nicole@gtalisted.com

Original Blog Post can be found at:

www.gtalisted.com

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